Follow-ups:

Now, 1.99.3 has been released and one of the OS X problems have been conquered.
Criawips trickie screenshot by popular-esk request.

This week in development

In this week's episode, Nadav's relaunches a far more advanced version of the Open Text Summarizer, OTS: Stemming the Tide.
Dom releases 1.99.3 to the world, which is already available on Latest Releases page.
We learn that we cannot --enable-gnome due to header issues from GNOME 2.2.
Most interesting of all, Dom releases the AbiWord 2.2: TSWMRCAUSSWVLSD RoadMap.
Lots of discussion and a criawips screenshot waiting within.

Request for user assistance

If you want an equally rich and powerful Windows release, we really, really could use some Windows developers.
A whole mess of people with even just an hour a week could help.
Of course, the "three with only two hours a week" model hasn't been helping!
We're desperate!
We'll take a line a day if there's enough of you!
Please help...please!
Doesn't a platform like yours deserve a chance?

Windows users, your help is doubly requested*.
We would like to see more bug reports coming from the Windows crowd,
so, if you're feeling more daring, please download and try out the Win32 binaries when they're available.
If you want some sweet functionality in AbiWord II: The Wrath of Dom, you will have to participate.
You could also consider joining Project Blue Ant.

Silliness of the Week

Happy Anniversary, Me!
Why thank you, Me; that's very sweet of you!
You're welcome, Me.... Oh, and I got you something?
Really!? For me!?
Yes, here!
OMG! A George Foreman USB iGrill.
Nope!
Huh?
Look closer!
What's that!? No! It can't be!
Yup, I refitted it with a firewire adaption, so, you can cook your goose in half the time!
You Bastard! How will I ever be able to correct the software!?
You don't have to! I signed their NDA and did it for you!
Sweet!
Not really.
Oh?
They're violating SCO's intellectual property; I read many int main()'s, printf's and return (0); statements in there.
Wow...look, it's a weasel in a three piece suit...you should run now.

Traffic on the
developer mailing list
has settled at about 200-400 postings per week.
This week, interesting topics on the developer list included:

1.99.3 soon?
,
ATTN: 1.99.3 tomorrow
,
ATTN: tree closed for 1.99.3
,
ATTN: tree open
,
"Updated" 1-99-3
and
1.99.3 released!
:
over a week ago, Martin wanted to release 1.99.3, and one week ago, Dom actuall did it, though, without a co-release with Jody (Gnumeric).
After the first sourcage, Marc found missing tags for wv, popt and psiconv,
which had James Ogley (Lord High SuSE Builder) ask, "Where Have All the Plugins Gone?"
Shortly thereafter, everything was new was buildable again (^_^).
For those of you that somehow missed it, the Latest Releases page was updated (though somewhat late).
Additionally, despite rumours to the contrary, David Glassey has not replaced Daniel Glassey in the AbiWord Project.

GNU libiconv 1.9.1
:
In case you missed it, or you just need a reminder,
Dom would really love a somewhat less antiquated version of GNU libiconv (link corrected).

ATTN: 2.2 roadmap
:
Eons ago, an honest-to-bob roadmap was released detailing the development upto 2.0.
Now, Dom has created a new roadmap to take us to
AbiWord 2.2: The Scene Where Martin Realises that the Crashed Application is the USS WV Library...the Ship of Dom.
That was just a bit laboured.
I don't think Dom likes the idea of wv crashing....
Anyhow, you might actually want to see the AbiWord 2.2: TSWMRCAUSSWVLSD* RoadMap.
Everything from layout restructuring, version management and there are some things a user might actually notice....

Commit: enchant work, 0.1.1 release
:
Though not mind blowing in and of itself, it is worth to note that Dom intends to support Microsoft's Common Spell API.
"By ('supporting MS CSAPI'), I mean I'm interested in exporting Enchant's various functions via the CSAPI."
When that gets done, I think we'll see 0.2.0, but what do I know?
If you ever had the nickname "$20,&quot you are not allowed to answer that.

Open Text Summarizer - new file format translations.
:
Compared to various AI's that do similar things, Nadav's summarisation technique verges on brute force,
but there's something to be said about stemming, grouping(synonymns) and re-shivving(ripping out the old, adding a new) the parser.
People interested in advancing OTS's capabilities in their own language (read: translation) should download
The New OTS File Format Tutorial.
Naturally, assisting OTS automatically ensures that you rock.

Why the strings are not updated in 2.0beta?
:
Funda Wang asks a question that I believe might be in the twiki somewhere.
As seeing that there's been some translation to Chinese over time, I believe this is a case of not scripting po2string before committing.
Anyhow, if it's otherwise, believe it or not, if your language hasn't been updated (or doesn't exist) in AbiWord, feel free to fix it,
so it can be committed, and everyone of your language can look at the credits file and go,
"Gumbui, gumbui, neetoa <Your Name Here> desa ena CREDITS.TXT!"
Of course, depending on language, your mileage may vary.*

Traffic on the user mailing list
is sporadic at best.
Often, a good topic comes up, but users tend to only respond to the original poster rather than the list (as well),
which limits what I would add, as the only lone threads I post are announcements of importance or points of great interest.
This week, interesting topics on the user list included:

Re: Installing TrueType Fonts
and
reasons to stick with stable (was: Installing TrueType Fonts)
:
Hub, maintainer of the 1.x series, states something that has been a long time coming:
"BTW, as the STABLE (ie 1.0.x) branch maintainer, I recommend to jump to 1.99.x."
No, it's not an August Fool's Day Joke either; he really did say that.
This is practically a whole new thread from what the title of the original suggests.
Dom's primary goal for releasing 2.0, introduce no bugs not already present in 1.x, seems to have come into reach (unless you're on BeOS).
Dom goes into detail in the wrong list,
including the three reasons to continue using 1.x.
So...What's stopping you?

Using 2 different versions of AbiWord
:
Hanxue Lee asks a relatively common question regarding whether a person can install two different versions of Abi on the same system (Windows here).
The answer, in short, is yes.
For more details, read Alan's reply.

1.99.3 missing abi_plugin_builtin.h
:
Geoff was daring to test Frank's 40-day old -built-in option for the plugins.
Actually, Geoff seems to be unaware of its experimentality.
However, if Frank had taken the time usually reserved for ST:VOY reruns to put in some documentation, issues like this would be reduced ;o)
Elsewhere, there are some quickie notes here,
there
and elsewhere.
Geoff decided to forego the -built-in option and installed the plugins in the normal fashion and some fixes occurred.
Life is good.

Tables wish list.
:
Greg Madden sends an RFE to the wrong place, but it is generously accepted by Martin.
It is also the first time I noticed that AbiWord II: The Wrath of Dom doesn't allow you to split cells.

Solved: Mac OS X AbiWord not showing file
:
Ed Rush announces the solution to this li'l bugger in AbiWord.
If you have this problem, you may be using the 1.0.6 from May instead of from June (1.0.6-2).
If you don't have it, you can get it here.

Traffic outside of the AbiDomain is tracked and occasionally reported.
This weeks includes selection(s) from: FootNotes

Re: AbiWord Weekly News #154
:
CRIAWIPS!
I can't believe I didn't even mention this in 154.
Even worse, I actually asked Sven about the source of the name...12 hours before finding it out for myself...my bad!
Rightfully, he ignored me...li'l git.
If he wants to avoid putting a 'G' in the name, like GStringOfSlides, GSpotLight, GSlideOutOfYourPants or GShowUsYourBoobies,
I don't think we can talk him into calling it an 'Abi'SomethingNaughty.
"Criawips" is properly pronounced as "teht-ees'."

Re: AbiWord Weekly News #154
:
Can OTS make into becoming a FreeDestkop.Org standard?
Derr, of course, but the real question here is, "How long until Red Hat includes it into their distro?"

Weird. Very weird
:
You're right!
Lashing out at young projects is much better than giving them positive feedback!
Screw the open model of development where everyone starts off as equal!
"Let's leave innovation to the professionals."
Anyhow...more importantly, Dom defends his project in an extensive post (where he mildly seems pro-OTS).
The funny thing is, it's only just large enough to warrant a "read the rest of this comment..." link.
But really, read this if you haven't already.
And, as a personal note to the coward who considers me the grand embarrassment of the development reporting community,
which I am but just for different reason:
Go wank off onto an electric fence!*

Re: AbiWord 1.99.3 released!
:
Another no one in particular noticed that, for the most part, AbiWord's importing capabilities rock, except for OLE handling.
Back in the day, before Microsoft could afford to buy great idea, Object Linking and Embedding was a brilliant concept.
Unfortunately, it was executed and crufted over so bad, that not even Microsoft is quick to alter much in the way of its functionality.
In reality, the technique needs to be scrapped and replaced, but that a whole article, if not a freaking thesis, with freaking laser guns!

Presentation software?
:
Sri catches the criawips notice in this release note.
Unfortunately for some speculators, criawips is not known to be "just some internal 'code-name'"
no matter if you think it is "is really retarded name for anything that is not just some hobby project."
For more about renaming criawips, see this earlier discussion.

Screw that
:
I'm still working very hard to get the message of my Latest Releases page out there.
I'm just blown away that one of the most consistent links in the AWN is scrolled over ;o)
Alan started this...I should have seen it all coming!

Couple of problems
:
Every release, we go through this, don't we?
Ok, average user, I got a question for you.
The best place for bug reporting when Abi compiles successfully is which of the following:
A) FootNotes
B) Developer Mailing List
C) Bugzilla
Now, I'm certain we all love knowing what going on, so, it can be fixed, and all these are great ways of being heard,
but the correct answer is, in fact, C.
We thank you for all reports (positive and negative LISP(especially positive ones, or factually-based ones) ^_^ ),
but keep the bugs under the bugzilla jar, so they maybe squished.

Re: AbiWord 1.99.3 released!
:
Do you want to play with LibGDA?
Do ya?
Huh?
I bet you do!
Yes you do!
Dom explains the simplicity that will be brought to AbiWord though this powerful plugin,
thank you and kudos to Rodrigo Moya and the LibGDA team.

*TSWMRCAUSSWVLSD: Taking a page from Sven,
I think I'll just call it CAUSS...wait, it ends in LSD...tough call....
I'll make decision later.
Weave acid...woven acid...ooh, I like that.
AbiWord 2.2: Woven Acid TripAbiWord 2.2: Woven Heuristic Acid Trip...AbiWord 2.2: WHATAbiWord 2.2: WHAT THE F* YOU LOOKING AT!?
Too wordy?
AbiWord 2.2: Woven Acid Trip it is, then.
*118851: Christophe Fergeau reports that this is already fixed in HEAD and may get time to backport it to 2.2.
*your mileage may vary: For some odd reason, people don't seem to check the credits of most things, usually.
In fact, some people think "Jesper" has spent the last year on drugs ;o)
*electric fence: I'm not really that offended. but I've been looking for a place to say that for awhile, so...Congratulations!
If I don't end up deleting that, then I mean it!
Take pictures; Marc knows this fetish site that'll pay $25 a shot and $250 for a video....

*XML changes colon to |: If there EVER was a reason not to use XML, it's that, Man!
I don't want my colon to turn into a straight line (which is, possibly, a depiction of a pipe).
People shove things in pipes.
Can you picture a pipe bomb!?
You people are sick!
*Jordi Mas: system-related work is Win32 unless stated otherwise.

Current pows are here.
This will probably be replaced next week if not this very week.

Name: More Windows MaintainersDescription: Jordi and Jeremy could always use helpAdvertisement: Help free people from the oppression of MSWord today!Recommended Outline: You must become magical to know how to fix this.Comments: Wouldn't be a bad idea to start with the printing bug...System: WindowsChallenge level: ****. 4 stars out of 5Current Heros: Jordi Mas, Jeremy Davis

Staying somewhere between the predictions of Louis Bugkeyser, who suggested the markets would return to their old trends,
and Alan Bluespan, who said that the growth would remain positive,
only ClosedAssi went into the negative and only minorly.
In other news, an advanced AI was programmed to recognise how code is constructed over a long time.
When fed information on AbiWord of the past four years, it gave an unanticipated final extrapolation of what to expect in the next two years:
"I SHALL RULE ALL OF YOU, YOU PATHETIC BIOLOGICAL THINGS OF DISGUST!"
It is believed that the presence of KoRn music on a local P2P connection my have caused this problem.

For information about how to view the chart, please read 142's Special Interest.

Back on the Bug Ranch, with 4031, Hebrew status line message is not displayed correctly, sudden return to the list,
1333, Inserting a word is O(n) in the number of words in the do, has been pushed off once again :o(

This is an AbiWord Weekly News original concept: The Release Hackdown.
In the table below, you can watch what bugs are being fixed in preparation for the very next release.
Check the key at the bottom to understand formatting.

No pressure, guys, I'm sure only 2000 or so people will be watching to see what you do weekly.
That breaks down to about 285 people daily and 12 people hourly, so, it's like being peeked at once every five minutes, literally.
"Isn't that veird!?"

Open Source, Open Books.

Last Updated: April 10, 2003

Approximately once a month, don't hedge bets, I'll get this updated by asking (read: whining at) dom.
In the meantime, whenever you want to see how much is in and where it gets diverted, just peek down here.

Word of caution, numbers lightly fudged due to (hopefully) temporarily incomplete data.
Like a consultant's suggested price, you'll find hidden meaning in the data if you stare long and hard.
Surgeon's General's Warning: Staring long and hard may have psychotropic affects;
keep out of reach of people who like that sort of thing.

I cannot promise the time of de-fudging, nor can I promise there will be de-fudging any time soon.
However, I feel confident that there will be some de-fudging going on.

PLEASE!
Help promote AbiWord development by
donating money. The money go to a general AbiWord "fund",
presently hosted by Dom Lachowicz (cinamod@hotmail.com).

In order to donate money, you must have a PayPal account. If you
do not already have one, the links above will allow you to open
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